DRMumbai: Maharashtra government is considering new opportunities for cruise tourism along its coast after international cruise lines have come calling to Mumbai port and two Indian companies launched domestic brands with Mumbai as the homeport. At least three lesser-known ports along the 720 km state coastline are intended to provide the domestic cruising sector a boost, bringing those destinations into the tourism spotlight.
Ashish Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary Ports & Transport, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, said that destinations like Jaigarh, Vijaydurg and Karla are promising destinations for cruise tourism. He said that the Indian domestic market remained hidden to cruise tourism experiences so far.
He added that destination marketing is relevant for cruise tourism to see success, as a cruise ship offered an all-inclusive experience. He noted that the number of tourists would immediately go up once the ship and the port were in place. The principal secretary said that it was important for every domestic destination to be marketed well within India first, noting that going by current developments, cruise tourism would prove to be a popular sector of tourism in India over the next few years.
